Dutch court rejects most of Shell spill case

(AP) Dutch judges have rejected most of a landmark case brought by Nigerian farmers against Royal Dutch Shell for poisoning their fish ponds and farmland with leaking pipelines.

The Hague Civil Court rejected all cases against the Netherlands-based company. However, in one case it ordered a subsidiary, Shell Nigeria, to compensate a farmer for breach of duty of care by making it too easy for saboteurs to open an oil pipe.

The level of damages in that case will be established at a later hearing.

The court rejected other claims, saying they were caused by saboteurs and, under Nigerian law, oil companies are not responsible unless they breach their duty of care.

Both sides have three months to appeal.